New Potomac Edison Substation Delivers More Reliable Power for Berkeley County Customers

New facility helps reduce outages and support growth for 2,400 customers

MARTINSBURG, W.Va., Feb. 18, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Potomac Edison, a subsidiary of FirstEnergy Corp. (NYSE: FE), has completed a new substation in Berkeley County that is already making electric service more reliable for about 2,400 homes and businesses. The new facility uses modern, smart technology to help reduce outages and restore power faster when problems occur.

Located near Spring Mills High School, the substation was completed in December and provides an additional power source for customers in the Falling Waters and Spring Mills areas. Until now, those customers were served by two substations that were nearing capacity. The new facility also helps support the county's continued growth as one of the fastest‑growing areas in the state.

Jim Myers, FirstEnergy's President, West Virginia and Maryland: "Berkeley County is growing fast, and it's important that our electric system grows with it. Reliable power is the backbone of thriving communities, and this substation reflects our commitment to our customers. With fewer outages, faster repairs and a strong grid, we're ensuring our customers have the dependable electricity they need."

Built for Faster Restoration
The new substation includes advanced, automated technology that helps:

• Spot issues quickly.
• Isolate problems to keep outages smaller.
• Restore service remotely, often without sending a crew.

Part of a Bigger Investment in Reliability
The $6.6 million substation project is part of Energize365, FirstEnergy's long-term investment program to modernize and strengthen the electric grid. FirstEnergy plans to invest $36 billion between 2026 and 2030 to build a smarter, more resilient grid that meets the evolving needs of communities across the service area.

Potomac Edison serves about 285,000 customers in all or parts of Allegany, Carroll, Frederick, Garrett, Howard, Montgomery and Washington counties in Maryland and about 155,000 customers in the Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia. Follow Potomac Edison at potomacedison.com, on X @PotomacEdison, and on Facebook at facebook.com/PotomacEdison.

FirstEnergy is dedicated to integrity, safety, reliability and operational excellence. Its electric distribution companies form one of the nation's largest investor-owned electric systems, serving more than six million customers in Ohio, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, West Virginia, Maryland and New York. The company's transmission subsidiaries operate approximately 24,000 miles of transmission lines that connect the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic regions. Follow FirstEnergy online at firstenergycorp.com and on X @FirstEnergyCorp.

SOURCE FirstEnergy Corp.